Chipboard projects

It's Monday and boy is it going to be a beautiful day! the sun is shining and it's going to be in the mid-80's, I plan to get out and enjoy it as much as I can! Kara and Skye are both sick and staying home today, I think some sunshine is in order for them as well. :)

I worked this weekend, it was pretty steady on Saturday and yesterday was so so slow. It was difficult to just stand around and I tried to tidy up but that's difficult too because the customers would trickle through one by one. I am sure it was because of the beautiful day, at least I hope so. I don't want to be standing around all the time with nothing to do but hurry and wait, I am too impatient for that.
After work I grabbed Kara and Skye and Ashlyn and headed to the park to take some of Kara's senior pics. The poor girl didn't feel well but it was a nice day and we had to take advantage of the weather. I got some pretty shots and I can't wait to get them developed! That's my plan today.

Last week was my week to host a chipboard class on Scrapping Outback. There are 7 weeks and this is the final week. My class was about using mesh/screen/tulle on chipboard. For the bird on the card I inked, heat embossed and immediately covered it in tulle. I then repeated the process twice more to melt the tulle into the embossing powder. I finished off with some inking for added dimension. It looks so much better irl, it has texture and dimension.
For the box I inked the circle/heart cb, heat embossed and immediately pressed some plastic mesh into it. I then added some alcohol ink and melted once again. I did the same with the words except I also added another layer of heat embossing for more gloss. I had a lot of fun creating this class and the girls did a super job executing it on their projects!

I am off to get some laundry and chores out of the way so I can scrap! Have a super week!

just catching up

It's been a week since my last post. So much for trying to post at least 2-3 times each week.

Let me see:
I started work at Michael's. I asked them to just throw me on a till and assured them I could do it and I did much to my surprise. It was like I never left. It's been 3 years since I have worked there and although a lot has changed, there is still a lot that hasn't. I was thankful that I was able to pick it back up so quickly. I only had to ask a few questions and I held my own. It was busy and I think the supervisor was happy that she didn't have to stand there with me. She was able to do her own thing and all went well. I worked again today and it was fun!

Molly's kittens are a week old today. She did lose one sometime during the night on Thursday. Skye was quite upset about it and cried for a long time. She is such a cat lover... a bit obsessive. We think she's going to grow up and be the "Cat Lady". lol! So now there are 8 kittens, but it was for the best. It's much easier for Molly with one less as sad as it is.
They are getting so big, and they should start opening their eyes in a few days.

I have been scrapping a bit. Working on some projects here and there. Color{Me}Daisy had a crop last weekend and I have a card and a layout for my challenges to share. I tried to do something different with the layout that is not my "normal" style and I like how it turned out. I also created a pumpkin shaped card.
In addition to those I have my weekly card sketches from Sketch This 68 (it's finally fall) and Di Hickman Sept. #4 card sketch (blessings).

I also have another card that I just made to make, harvest gratitude.

I have more to share and will do so in the next few days. :)

I got the October Color{Me}Daisy kit yesterday and can't wait to dig in! It's beautiful!

I am off to go help Ashlyn with her homework and get dinner started. Until next time, take care!

Yikes!

Miss Molly had 11 kittens yesterday afternoon! Two of them were born dead so she has 9... it's overwhelming to us. No wonder the poor cat was huge and could barely walk. They are cute though, much smaller than the last time by almost half the size. Some are grey and some are black. The plan was to have her spayed, but with everything that was going on with my hubby's heart at the time, this took a backseat. Not this time. I hate feeling so irresponsible. It's going to be a challenge to find homes for all of them and I am going to start looking right away.

I haven't been feeling well most of the week. My throat has been sore since last week. The worst of that is over, but my body has been achy and that along with a sore throat doesn't help. I feel energetic, just not well if that makes sense. It's also been gorgeous outside and I have been bundled up in long pants and a sweatshirt most of the day. The good weather is coming to an end though in another day or two. We are going from the high 80's to the 60's. Oh well, it had to come sometime. It's just that much closer to really cold temps which I love just as much as the heat. Come on Winter!

I have just two things to share today. One is a little idea notebook I created with some gear buttons from My Acrylic Album. I got brave and tried some new things and I like how they ended up on the grungy side.

And then my card for the Di Hickman Sept. card sketch #3. Forgive the horrible coloring on the photo... I am not sure what I was thinking when I edited it.
I didn't even get around to creating anything for the Sketch This sketch this week.

I have finished book 3 in the Twilight series and began book 4 yesterday. I really want to stretch it out, but at the same time I want to devour it. I am getting excited about the movie, too. I think the older girls and I might go since they are into the series as well.

I have some projects to work on... I am finally feeling up to scrapping so I am digging into the fun stamps for the Purple Onion finals. I have some ideas and I hope I can get them to work out like I envision. We'll see.

I start work on Sunday. I am a bit nervous, but mostly because I still have to find some shoes. Michael's has a dress code now and I have to wear either solid black or solid white shoes and finding shoes that don't bother my ankle is a challenge. Plus I need to wear the inserts with the shoes. I only have two pair that I can wear and they have some color to them, so I can't use them. I really need to get out there are start looking for something. Grrr...

Have a wonderful weekend! Don't forget to stop by Color{Me}Daisy this weekend, there is a fun crop going on.

more projects from MAA and something fun!

Good Sunday morning! wow, just typing that made me think of my dear Grandma Nami who passed away a little over 3 years ago. Oh how I miss her and wish I could hear her sweet happy voice again. I can still remember it, but I would do anything to hear it live. Someday...

I haven't been feeling well, I have a bad sore throat and just feel sick, but not confined to bed sick, just dragging along sick. Thera Flu is my salvation to make it through the day. I am pretty sure I caught whatever it is I have from the clinic when I went in to have my back checked out the day after Labor Day. EVERYONE in there was sick and I had a feeling I wasn't going to walk away without something. Sure enough, 10 days after exposure it came on. I just hope nobody else catches it. At least they don't have to listen to me talk, because I can't so much. lol!

I have been busy creating. I was truly stumped with the cute little acrylic Jar album I was sent for a DT assignment back in July. The other girls created some gorgeous projects with it and I really didn't want to do something along the same line. The other day I was stressing out and just happened to lay the pieces down in frustration and the way they lay gave me an instant idea. So I rolled with it and after some trial and error it worked! I ended up using an album to create some fun gift card holders! Sometimes I really surprise myself!) I made 3 of them and they didn't take long at all, in fact the drying time of the Glimmer Mist was the longest part of the process.

The layout was created for a fun layout tag challenge on Addicted Scrappers. I used the awesome Frosted Snowflakes Penguin Pants stamp set that you can purchase in the MAA store. I used a glue pad to stamp and then sprinkled fun flock over the wet image and let dry. I then cut the images out and layered them onto the layout.

Would you like a chance to win an album from My Acrylic Album? Go here and find out how you can win one!

Last but not least, check this out! I am a finalist for the Purple Onion Designs Creative Team call! I am so surprised to see my name up there with the other girls, but thrilled none the less. My stamps arrived yesterday and once I wrap up a project I am going to dig in and play with them. Wish me luck on the final call please. :)

Oh, one more thing. I am now a Michael's employee. I start sometime soon, pretty much whenever I let them know... more than likely in a week or so. They are going to work me around school hours and weekends which will be perfect. Just a bit of extra cash to help pay the medical bills that are rolling in. Heart problems sure aren't cheap. ;) Yikes!

Have a fabulous week!

weekly sketch cards and layout

Good morning. I woke up feeling heavy-hearted due to the 7th Anniversary of 9/11. Sometimes I still cannot believe this tragedy ever occurred, and other days it still seems like it just happened. Thankfully we are designed to "dismiss" the initial pain and emotional distress this nation endured, but we can never forget. Along with the birth of my children, this is one of the few events I can recall with such clarity each and every thing I did that awful day. My heart and prayers go out to each and every American, especially those who lost a loved one, their lives, their sense of security; and to each an every soldier out there protecting our country. Thank you from the bottom of my heart. May God Bless you.

The weather here has been absolutely stunning! Sunny and clear and warm... and it's working it's way up to hot! We are going to be in the low 90's/high 80's by Sunday and that pattern will hold for several days. It sure is hard to get in the "Fall" mode with all this gorgeous weather! It does cool down quickly once the sun sets, so that is a reminder. I welcome it, even though I love the cool Winter temps.

I have been on a scrappy spree and am catching up on things. I tried something yesterday that I have always wanted to; Alcohol Inks. These are not scary! lol! I had it in my head that they were. Silly, I know, but they appear so intimidating. I definitely have a lot of experimenting to do, but they are easy to use and dry quickly.

Here are some scrappy projects:
My layout for Creatively Yours #26.

My weekly cards:
"Hi" for Di Hickman card sketch September #2. (if you go to the site the card that is currently there is so not the one I meant to send!). I used some scraps from the September kit at Color{Me}Daisy.
"Thank You" for Sketch This: 66. I just love this line from Scenic Route, it's gorgeous!

I am off to go enjoy the day. Have a good one!

My Baby is 9 today! and an album

Happy Birthday to my sweet girl Ashlyn! My baby is 9 today! She was so excited about her birthday that she was up at 3AM. Yikes! At 5:30 I couldn't take the pacing anymore so I let her open a few gifts. :) The girls were up anyway, so why not. She's going to crash and burn later, I just hope she's not a big crank after school. She informed me that this was her last birthday in the single digits... like I need the reminder of how they grow up way too quickly. *rolleyes*

I finally finished this fun skull album from My Acrylic Album. Ashlyn is obsessed with them and I was so happy when I received this as an assignment! I had fun adding some texture and a bit of grunge while keeping it girly and fun. I just love how it turned out and so does Ashlyn, which is truly the point. :)

I hope you all have a wonderful day! Thanks for stopping by! :)

some Color{me}Daisy projects

It's Monday, and this is the start of school in full swing for the girls. They were tired just after the 2 measly days they attended last week, how are they ever going to survive a full week of school?! lol!Oh, to only have the worries of school, although I suppose it's major for them so I'll let them sulk if they want to. ;)

My back is feeling a lot better, but I am still quite sore and sitting is still painful. I hope a few more days of downtime is going to help because I am tired of it. At least I can stand and was able to scrap a bit yesterday. I wrapped up the September kit from Color{Me}Daisy and took pics of the Skull Album I have been working on/sitting on forever (it seems that way to me at least ;)). I'll post those pics tomorrow.

Color{Me}Daisy is going to be holding it's first online crop on September 19th through the 21st! Here's a link, come join us! :)

Ashlyn's birthday is tomorrow and I need to go order a cake for her. I also need to make cupcakes to take to her class tomorrow. She's so excited! I should say she's excited other than the fact that she has to go to school and have homework on her special day. ha!

Have a great Monday and a super week!

back to school and catching up

Hi! I have been missing in action for a bit. I somehow pulled a muscle in my back last weekend, not fun I tell ya! I have always been thankful to have not had any back pain because I have heard and seen how debilitating it was, but sadly now I know what it's like, at least I got a good taste. I haven't been able to do much of anything for the past week, much of it spent lying in bed with a heating pad and ice. I can walk around for a bit before I start to get pain and sitting... forget it. I am able to do so a bit today, but I can tell I won't be able to for long.
The good news is that I finally dug into the 'Twilight' novels! They are pretty good and keep me wanting to read to see what is going to happen next. I find myself anxious to turn each page to see what is going to happen next and I haven't been disappointed. I have read the first two and am into the 3rd. I should be done with the series in a few days. I also read another novel that was on my shelf. I love to read and it's been nice actually.

The girls started school on Thursday. Boo Hoo. :( I really wanted the summer to drag on forever. I missed them terribly. I just cannot believe that Kara is a Senior this year. I have been struggling to recall her very first day of school and I can't. It has driven me crazy. How could I possibly forget?! *sigh*
Ashlyn was miserable up to the morning of school for about a week. She would cry with any mention of school, big crocodile tears that ripped my heart apart. She cried when she met her teacher the night before the first day of school and up until it was time to leave. Surprisingly (and thankfully), she didn't cry as I took pictures and walked her to school. She didn't even cry as we entered the building or when I left her sitting at her desk. I was so relieved and thankful. When I picked her up she was happy to see me, but I could tell she had a great day and she was going to be OK with school. I just pray this continues. She likes her teacher because she's quiet and she said that her class is much quieter than last year. I am confident that things have turned around for her and that she will do well. I was struggling with what to do and she answered it for me.

Aside from that I haven't done anything. I hope to be able to sit and scrap soon. I have some things to catch up on. I do have an album that is complete for My Acrylic Album, but I need to take pics. I plan to get to that tomorrow, maybe Monday at the latest.

Here are some pics of the girls on their first day. :) Kara, Meghan, Skylar and Ashlyn. *sigh* they grow up so quickly.